Category Archives: Gas

Just when you thought the fracking debate in Scotland was settled, the battlefield shifts to the courts. Ineos Shale has applied for a judicial review of the Scottish Government’s decision to continue its moratorium, citing “serious concerns” about its legitimacy. They claim there was a ‘supportive regulatory and planning backdrop’, which frankly is a little …

There is no shortage of activity on energy policy and we haven’t even heard the outcome of the Scottish Government’s energy strategy consultation. Let’s start with fracking. The Scottish Government has announced that the existing moratorium would continue ‘indefinitely’, which is an effective ban given their planning powers. This follows a similar ban on underground …

As we await a decision by the Scottish Government on fracking in Scotland, the debate rages on. One side arguing that we need new sources of gas rather than becoming dependent on imports, while the other points to the environmental impact and the need for another dirty fuel when we have abundant sources of clean …

The Scottish government’s public consultation on whether unconventional oil and gas extraction (UOG) should be allowed in Scotland, has variously been described as biased by the fracking industry and kicking the issue into the long grass by opposition parties. A final decision is expected to be made later this year. The moratorium on UOG has …

A busy week for the fracking debate in Scotland, but a decision still looks some way off. There was some speculation ahead of today’s publication of the research sponsored by the Scottish Government that the minister would announce a bill on fracking. Instead he announced a public consultation will be launched in January, before any …

In a desperate attempt to sell more dirty energy to a sceptical public, the UKGovernment is proposing cash bribes to households impacted by fracking. INEOS has announced the first delivery of US shale gas to its Grangemouth petrochemical plant next month and used this as an opportunity to, yet again, make the case for exploiting …

Ineos is using the Brexit uncertainty to make a new push for fracking in Scotland. Their CEO has called for an overhaul of UK energy policy and for manufacturing to be placed at the heart of the economy as Britain faces up to life on the outside of the European Union (EU). He urged Scottish …

Fracking has probably been the only energy issue to surface in the Scottish Parliament election campaign. The Tories support it, Labour oppose it, and the SNP are sceptical, but not ruling it out. As we have previously reported, the energy minister Fergus Ewing is clearly pro-fracking, but we suspect Nicola Sturgeon is more sceptical – …

Fracking remains the story that won’t go away for the Scottish Government. After a long-running battle for the release of the official record of the First Minister’s meeting with Ineos, the Scottish Government has revealed more information. However, key passages remain redacted after the Information Commissioner refused to order full disclosure. The Scottish Government …

The Scottish Government has eventually bowed to internal and external pressure and put in place a moratorium on underground coal gasification (UCG) in Scotland. This is separate to the existing moratorium on onshore unconventional oil and gas, including hydraulic fracturing – and comes as ministers have also informed Parliament that the Government will carry out …